Residents of Tungan Madaki, a rural community in The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday expressed excitement over the construction of an access road to connect them with other parts of FCT.
The residents and other neighbouring communities said they were excited because it was the first time they would experience the presence of government in their community.
They said that the newly constructed seven-kilometre access road from Airport Road (Bill Clinton Drive) to the community by President Bola Tinubu administration has reconnected farmers and students in the communities to livelihoods.
The District Head of the community, Malam Muhammad Haruna, said on the sideline of the official inauguration of the road, that the development would change their lives for good.
Haruna commended Tinubu and the FCT Minister Nyesom, Mr Wike for bringing governance to their door steps and for taking steps to improve their livelihoods.
He said that for decades, daily life in the community was characterised by isolation, economic stagnation, and inaccessibility to schools.
“We are happy that this narrative has completely changed. The completion of this critical road, linking Bill Clinton Drive directly to the heart of my community has brought widespread relief and celebration among my people.
“This is a turning point in the history of our community after years of administrative neglect by successive governments.
“Prior to this intervention, the community’s agrarian economy was severely bottlenecked by a dilapidated road network and absence of a memorable bridge that cut us from the rest of FCT, especially during the rainy season.
“We have suffered for decades. It has not been easy for us to transport our produce from the farms to the community, let alone to external markets, but today we are joyful that our story has changed,” he said.
The traditional ruler said that with the new infrastructure seamlessly connecting local farms to consumer hubs, transport costs have reduced and farm-to-market logistics also reduced.
He added that post-harvest losses would equally drop, a development that would significantly increase farmers’ earning and in the long run, improve their livelihoods.
He added that beyond the economic impact, the new road would also resolve the severe seasonal education crisis being experienced in the community.
He explained that Tungan Madaki hosts a major senior secondary school meant to serve a wide cluster of neighboring communities.
He however, said that during the rainy season, the collapsed bridge and washed-out terrain made trekking too dangerous, barring students from neighbouring communities from accessing the school.
“The completion of this road project has permanently restored safe and daily access to the school, eliminating seasonal drop-out rates caused by hazardous infrastructure.
However, while celebrating the milestone, the community leadership noted that full empowerment requires addressing a few remaining structural challenges.
To complement their newfound mobility, Haruna appealed to Wike to provide potable drinking water to the communities, which remains a critical missing link for the residents’ health and wellness.
“Also, farming is our only means to feed ourselves, send our children to school, and afford basic living expenses. Therefore, safeguarding local farmlands is the final step to ensuring that the people of Tungan Madaki can fully reap the dividends of democracy,” he said.
The FCT Minister had explained that the project was executed inline with Tinubu’s commitment to connecting rural communities with road infrastructure.
He explained that the access road, which includes a four-span bridge, would connect nine communities and terminate at Zuba Road.
